Big Bear

Mistahimaskwa (1825-17 January 1888), also known as Big Bear, was a chief of the Cree tribe. Big Bear led a rebellion in the Saskatchewan Rebellion of 1885, but his revolt was crushed.

Biography
Mistahimaskwa ("Big Bear") was a Salteaux Canadian from near Fort Carlton, present-day Jackfish in the Saskatchewan region. Big Bear was raised in the Cree of the North Saskatchewan River and in 1863 he became the leader of a large group of Cree. In 1870, the Cree First Nation was defeated by the Blackfoot at the Battle of the Belly River and in 1873 he fell into conflict with the Metis (mixed Indian and English) under Gabriel Dumont. Later, he allied with Chief Crowfoot of the Blackfoot tribe and planned to create a First Nation country within the domains of Canada. The Canadian government refused to allow this, despite signing an agreement before that allowed the natives to do with their reserve lands whatever they wished.

In 1885, Dumont and the Metis launched a rebellion against the government of Canada in Saskatchewan. A reluctant Big Bear sided with the Metis in the "Saskatchewan Rebellion", but after the Frog Lake Massacre committed by fellow chief Wandering Spirit, Big Bear was accused of starting the massacre and was sentenced to death. Canada later cut his term due to Big Bear's failing health, and he died in 1888.